Protective hood for room air conditioners



I Sept. 1, 1959 n. P. MONDI 2,901,989

PROTECTIVE HOOD FOR ROJM AIR CONDITIONERS Filed Dec. 30, 1955 v 2 Sheets-Sheet 1- v Fig.

3a 52 Q j 0 /0 2,2 Fig.2

Don P. Mandi INVENTOR.

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D. P. MONDI Se t. 1, 1959 PROTECTIVE HOOD FOR ROOM AIR CONDITIONERS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 30, 1955 Don P. Mandi INVENTOR.

United States Patent 'fiflce 12,91,989 Patented Sept. 1, 1959 PROTECTIVE HOOD FOR ROOM AIR CONDITIONERS I Don P. Mondi, New Brunswick, NJ.

Application December 30, 1955, Serial No. 556,544

3 Claims. (Cl. 108-3) This invention relates to an attachment for a room air conditioner of the window installed type and more particularly to a protective hood and envelope adapted to prevent deterioration of the air conditioning apparatus due ot the action of the weather and is an improvement on the device disclosed in the application for patent U.S. Ser. No. 366,490, filed July 7, 1953, for Protective Hood for Room Air Conditioners.

The primary object of this invention resides in the provision of means for protecting an air conditioning apparatus which not only protects the outer casing of the air conditioning apparatus but it inhibits the passage of cold air through the passages in the air conditioning apparatus and into the room in which the air conditioning apparatus is installed from outside.

A further object of the invention resides in the provision of a detachable envelope made of canvas or other suitable flexible material which is buttoned or clipped to the rigid portion of this protective hood so as to encase the air conditioning apparatus thereby preventing drafts, winds, and the like from blowing through the air conditioning apparatus and into the room in which the apparatus is installed.

The construction of this invention features a hood bent in shape from a single sheet of material to which a sheet of resilient material is detachably secured. The hood is spaced from the air conditioning apparatus by suitable straps and there is provided a flange for extending downwardly and outwardly of the air conditioning apparatus and the flexible sheet of material thus preventing rain, snow and the like from striking the flexible sheet of material during the normal fall thereof thereby enhancing the life of this flexible material.

Still further objects and features of this invention reside in the provision of a protective hood for air conditioning apparatus that is strong and durable, simple in construction and manufacture, capable of being readily assembled from various materials, and which is inexpensive yet highly attractive in appearance.

These, together with the various ancillary objects and features of the invention which will become apparent as the following description proceeds, are attained by this protective hood for air conditioning apparatus, a preferred embodiment of which has been illustrated in the accompanying drawings, by way of example only, wherein:

Figure l is a perspective view of the protective hood with the sheet of flexible material removed therefrom;

Figure 2 is an end elevational view of the protective hood with parts being broken away to show other parts in detail;

Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional detail view as taken along the plane of line 3-3 in Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the protective hood for the air conditioning apparatus shown with the sheet of flexible material in position;

Figure 5 is a plan view of the flexible sheet of material; and

Figure 6 is a vertical sectional view as taken along the plane of line 66 of Figure 4.

With continuing reference to the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numerals designate similar parts throughout the various views, reference numeral 10 generally designates a room air conditioning apparatus of conventional construction which is adapted to be installed in any suitable window opening. The protective comprising the present invention is generally designated by reference numeral 12 and consists of two main sections, one of the sections being constructed from a sheet of rigid material 14, the other of the sections as can be seen best in Figure 5 being constructed of a sheet of flexible material such as canvas or the like as is indicated at 16.

The sheet of rigid material 14 includes a top 18, triangular side portions 20 and a back 22 which are integrally formed with the top portion 18. A corrugated flange 23 extends outwardly from the top portion 18 to provide a shield and rain gutter for the entire apparatus. As can be seen best in Figure 2, the back portion 22 may be provided with suitable louvers as at 24. A flange 26 is integrally formed with the back portion 22. After bending, the various parts as are necessary may be Welded, spot-welded or otherwise fastened together. The top it; is provided with structural bends 28 which also provide a decorative configuration for the top of this protective hood while rigidifying the entire assembly.

The top 18 is provided with a layer of Fiberglas insulation 30 of such thickness as may be deemed necessary to provide adequate insulation for the protective hood. A substantially U-shaped strap 32 is bolted or spot-welded to the side portions 29. This strap 32 may have a resilient gasket 34 on the undersurface thereof which together with the buffer material 36 which underlies the flange 26 is adapted to seat upon a room air conditioning apparatus 10, so as to space the top portion 18 therefrom to provide an adequate dead-air insulating space.

After the sheet of rigid material 14 has been bent to shape it may be given a protective coating of lacquer, enamel or any other finish of any desired color or colors to contrast with or to conform to the general decor of the home or other building utilizing the room air conditioner 10 and the hood 12.

In order to firmly hold the sheet of rigid materiai 14 on the room air conditioner 10 there is provided suitable clamping members 38 which have hook-like end portions 40 and have slots 42 therein through which threaded fasteners 44 extend, the threaded fasteners being engageable with the side portions 20 of the rigid sheet of material 14. Wing nuts as at 46 are used to adjustably hold the clamp members 38 in a selected position with the hooks 40 engaging in a selected louver or other pro-- tuberance of the room air conditioner 1% In lieu of the clamp members 38 or in addition thereto other types of clamp members such as at 45 may be utilized; clamp 43 has a hook portion 50 engageable in apertures 52 in the side portions 20 and have clamping elements 53 having hook portions as at 54 engageable with the louvers of the room air conditioner 16. A spring connects the hook portions of the clamp to resiliently hold the hood on the air conditioner container.

A plurality of button-type fasteners 56 are provided along the lower edges of the side portions 20 while along the bottom of the front of the top portion 18 other buttons 58 are provided. These buttons are inwardly and upwardly offset from the flange 23,

Corresponding button fasteners as at 64 and 62 on the sheet of flexible material 16 cooperate with the buttons 56 and 58, respectively.

The lower rear edges of the flexible sheet of material 16 is provided with a plurality of loops as at 66, see Figure 5, through which a cord 68 extends. The ends of the cord may be drawn together as at 70 to hold the sheet of flexible material 16 underneath the room air conditioner 10.

As can be readily noted, in combination with the rigid sheet of material 14, the flexible sheet of -material 16 provides means for preventing or inhibiting drafts, winds and the like from passing through the various interstices in the room air conditioner and into the room for which the air conditioner was provided. Further, it serves to prevent deterioration of the air conditioner '10 due to the effect of the weather. The flange 23 serves to prevent the front portion of the hood from being struck by rain, sleet, hail, or snow directly'thereby increasing the longevity thereof.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A protective hood for an air conditioning apparatus and container comprising a shaped rigid sheet of material including a pair of vertical opposed side portions, a rear portion perpendicular to said side portions, a downwardly sloping top portion between said side portions, means detachably securing said sheet in spaced relationship to the air conditioning container, said means comprising a strap secured to said sheetof rigid material and spaced from said top portion, resting on the air air conditioning container, said rear portion having an inwardly extending flange resting on the air conditioner container, clamp members engageable with the air conditioning container, springs urging said clamp members into engagement with the air conditioning container, and means adjustably securing said clamp members to said sheet of rigid material.

2. A protective hood for an air conditioning apparatus and container comprising an integral shaped rigid sheet'of material including a pair of vertical opposed side portions, a rear portion perpendicular to said side portions, a downwardly sloping top portion between said side portions, means detachably securing said sheet in spaced relationship to the air conditioning container, said means comprising a strap secured to said sheet of rigid material and spaced from said top portion resting on the air conditioning container, said rear portion having an inwardly extending flange resting on the air conditioner container, clamp members engageable with the air conditioning container, springs urging said clamp members into engagement with the air conditioning container, and means adjustably securing said clamp members to said sheet of'rigid material,

a flexible sheet of material for enveloping the lower portionsof the air conditioning container, and means detachably securing said flexible sheet of material to said rigid sheet ofmaterial.

3. A protective h'ood for an air conditioning apparatus and container comprising an integral shaped rigid sheet of material including a pair of vertical opposed side portions, a rear portion perpendicular to said side portions, a downwardly sloping top portion between said side portions, means detachably securing said sheet in spaced relationship to theair conditioning container, said means comprising a strap secured to said sheet of rigid mate: rial and Spaced from said top portion resting on the air conditioning container, said rear portion having an in-. wardly extending flange resting on the air conditioner container clamp members engageable with the air con.- ditioning container, springs urging said clamp members into engagement with the air conditioning container, and means adjustably securing said clamp members to said sheet of rigid material, a flexible sheet of material for enveloping the lower portions of the air conditioning container, and means detachably securing said flexible sheet of material to said rigid sheet of material, said rigid sheet of material including a flange forming an extension of said top portion, said flange extending outwardly of saidflexible sheet of material, said flexible sheet of material being secured to said rigid sheet of mateu al inwardly of said flange,

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,784,115 Sebell Dec.'9, 1930 2,235,012 Colvin Mar. 18, 1941 2,335,627 Wolfert Nov. 30, 1943 2,508,757 Gray r May 23, 1 950 2,6 91% 'WQOda d "way-t a Q I- 19,

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